jimbob121686 Reviews

Forgotten Ellis Island (2008)

Decent documentary

[6/10 · 27 January 2009]

"Forgotten Ellis Island" is a documentary which explores the medical wing of America's most famous (and infamous) immigration depot. Though most Americans know the story of the island, the documentary seeks to go beyond the usual borders of history and talk about the island's hospitals, which dealt with a wide variety of diseases as well as perceived mental illnesses.

I just watched this movie in a premiere showing and was reasonably impressed. The style is nothing new: talking heads interviews, archive footage, photographs, and some modern shots underscored by an unobtrusive score. Garden variety documentary stuff, which basically sums up this feature. It's short (62 minutes) and by no means incredible film-making, but the material is interesting and the movie is competently put together. On the whole the documentary does a solid job combining the usual Ellis Island background material with more specific information about the medical facilities that the audience is presumably unaware of. Elliot Gould is a decent narrator even if he chews over every word, and the film moves along at a pace that will interest, if not engage, the average viewer.

All things considered, Forgotten Ellis Island is worth a look for those interested in the subject or history in general. 3 stars out of 4.

Scarecrow Gone Wild (2004 Video)

Awful? Absolutely. Campy fun? Absolutely.

[5/10 · 31 October 2005]

What's with all the negative reviews of this film? This is a movie that is so unabashedly terrible that I can't help but like it. I rarely speak of such hallowed territory, but this movie reaches the "so bad that it's good" plateau. With lines like Character A: Be careful? Character B: It's okay I know this place like the back of my hand Character A: No I mean there's a homicidal scarecrow out there! What's not to like? The ridiculous plot? The wooden acting by Ken Shamrock? The ending which completely rips off the Exorcist? The insipid dialogue which was clearly written by a guy who has no idea how women talk? The token black guy who says token black guyisms? The fact that you can see the scarecrow's mask flapping up often?

Never have I enjoyed a movie which is so bad so much. Look in era of bloated films which run far longer than they should, why can't we appreciate a silly little horror film with gratuitous nudity and cornfields 5 minutes away from an ocean beach? **1/2 / 4

Shaka Zulu (1986)

Great action, atmosphere, acting: great miniseries

[9/10 · 8 March 2005]

Although not a despot known to many, Shaka Zulu controlled an empire at the height of his power comparable to that of Napolean and was as brutal as Vlad the Impaler; this miniseries very successfully shows his rise to power, relationship with British envoys, and eventual fall.

As the mini-series opens, a solemn South African representative listens to the British elite, including Queen Victoria, belittle his people and then begs them to let his people keep their sovereignty. The series then flashbacks to the British embassy going to meet Shaka, running into trouble, and eventually earning his trust after an assassination attempt. The series then flashbacks to his rise to power from a young boy to the most powerful man on the continent of Africa. The flashbacks never get confusing, the story is always well told. The cinematography is brilliant, the acting (especially by Henry Cele in the title role) is very competent, and the characters are very compelling.

The series has a little something for everyone, although I think it would appeal more to history buffs like myself. In addition, there is substantial amounts of nudity, as most of the African women go around topless. While the nudity didn't detract from the narrative or become gratutitious, it is something to think about before letting younger viewers watch.

All in all i heartily recommend this mini-series, whether for a really, really rainy day or an hour at at time after work.

Half-Life: Blue Shift (2001 Video Game)

Nice Succinct and Original Mission Pack

[8/10 · 24 August 2003]

Half-Life was brilliant. It revolutionized the first person shooter, provided hours of entertainment, introduced us to a world of weapons and bizarre creatures, and most importantly- it (unlike most video games) stayed with its plot throughout the game. Then Opposing Force came along- a mission pack that was a game in and of itself, the player now switching sides and playing through the Military- the enemy in the original Half-Life. Although less plot-driven than the original (its cheif weakness) it still managed to create a very good gaming atmosphere, even if it didn't quite match up with the first. Then Blue Shift came along. I (although a huge fan of the first two) was apprehensive; I felt Sierra was trying to capitalize upon the success of the first two and, running out of ideas, was stretching things thin by having the player play as a security guard...Barney Calhoun. I was mistaken- The game is faithful to the first (with none of the weapons from OP4, but most from the original) and adds in some new things....people, locations, plotlines. It was most enjoyable to navigate Barney Calhoun through the waterworks and train depots of the Black Mesa compound, and the ending was significantly different than that of the first two.......I was very impressed by its simplicity and practicality. Although rather short, with no new weapons or aliens, I highly recommend this Mission pack- do the Half-Life devotee or someone new to this family of games

The Tuxedo (2002)

Waste of my time

[3/10 · 28 September 2002]

I was coerced into going to this movie, and I sincerely regret it. Barring a few funny moments, it was bland and left a bad taste in the mouth. The plot was silly at best, the acting was not terribly convincing (especially Jennifer Love-Hewitt) and in no way did it even draw to a conclusion. I hope Jackie Chan was paid a lot of money for this, because otherwise he'll probably regret this film for the rest of his career